Back to the Havre’s slavery past, second slave rang of France

Like Bordeaux and Nantes, Le Havre was one of the most important slave ports in France, between the 16th and the 19th century. Similarly, Armators, sailors, mufflers: the whole Havraise company operated this pole of triangular trade. Moreover, An association campaigns today for a Norman museum to be devoted to this tragic past.

“You have all learned at school back havre’s slavery past, second that junk it was things of little value. Similarly, That’s wrong“, Assures Anaïs Gernidos, archive notebook in hand, facing a group of ten people. In addition, The guide is not on her first visit. For example, For more than two years. In addition, she offers a weekly walk walking the streets of Le Havre to discover its slave past.

This local figure is responsible for sharing the fruit of his research. However, failing to be able to retrace his own family back havre’s slavery past, second tree. “”It stops in 1864 because we cannot go back further in the registers“She explains.”We erased the ethnic first name and imposed a Catholic first name. How can you find your original ethnic group?“

Anaïs Gernidos is a descendant of slaves, born in Martinique. Installed in Le Havre for fifty years. she chairs the association Memoirs & Shares and denounce the “invisibilisation“ of the history of slavery in certain cities of France: “We are not talking about it while we are there and that we have largely contributed by our efforts to make these cities produce“.

For 200 years. Le Havre has been enriched thanks to the triangular trade, especially in the 18th century when 400 expeditions were part of the Norman coasts. Ships, like Rosalie, have made a heading up on Africa with in their junk wedges to exchange.

back havre’s slavery past, second

“We are going to find iron. European agricultural products, many Indianities, that is to say much sought after cotton in Africa and America“, Details Éric Saunier, lecturer at the University of Le Havre.”They will leave with all this. an exchange will take place on the coast of Angole for 250 slaves which will be sold in Saint Domingue.“

From sailors to lawyers, the entire Havraise company participates in this business, including the working class. “”A milking ship is around thirty people: carpenters. gunsmiths, surgeons too“, back havre’s slavery past, second lists Éric Saunier,”Then there are notaries and lawyers as it is a complicated business there are a lot of different between people. There are also those who provide junk: merciers, tailors, craftsmen.“

Anaïs GERNIDOS recalls the example of “suffocating” of which a street in the city bears the name. These women of sailors made the tow, stripped hemp strings, used to caulk the wedges of the boats.

Without forgetting the shipowners who make a back havre’s slavery past, second fortune. Some Le Havre families also owned planting. The abolition of slavery did not worry them: “They received compensation. this money allowed them to rebuild while the slave who is freed from the cane field without anything. There has been a blatant social disparity still today“Explains Anaïs Gernidos.

To find traces of this past in Le Havre, you have to search the archives. No place is dedicated to the history of slavery.

“Our ancestors have given so much for the economic construction of these European countries, including France. There is a moral debt that could be repaired by setting up places where all visitors could appropriate the. memory of this story“Says Anaïs Gernidos.

Le rerterage Classe workouts et JUDICALAELELEL ROASSERAGE:

With his association. Memoirs & Shares, She hopes that a museum will soon see the light of day to pay tribute to the 150 000 men, women and children deported to Norman ships.